[HELIUM] Replace virtualbox with libvirt + virt-manager

Head_on_a_Stick · 2017-03-16 07:50:23

Continued from https://forums.bunsenlabs.org/viewtopic … 188#p47188 - hhh

johnraff wrote:

Does nobody else get any of these problems?

No, it behaves very nicely for me, no second screens anywhere.

Could it all be an issue with Virtualbox?

Perhaps, how did you install (and update) those Guest Additions?

How did you install VirtualBox?

I see that it isn't in stretch at all, perhaps there is a good reason for that...

https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugrepo … bug=794466

I will try a QEMU system tonight.

johnraff · 2017-03-16 08:18:52

I installed VB from their debian repo:

deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian jessie contrib

and the guest additions come with that, in a virtual CD which you mount and run the included script. It all ran smoothly with no warning messages.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2017-03-16 19:46:47

^ Well, that would appear to be the jessie version, which may explain the problems.

Here is a .deb of the current stetch version:

Perhaps try again with that?

EDIT: sorry, tired from $DAY_JOB... :8

I take it that the host is jessie?

~~~~

However, reading through the bug report to which I linked shows that security support for VB is atrocious (Oracle won't supply full patches for CVEs) and this is why stretch doesn't include the package.

Also, the Debian 9 installer may drop official support for installation in VirtualBox:

we should fix the installer and not support VBox there

https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugrepo … 794466#156

As such, I don't think we should support VirtualBox for BunsenLabs Helium, we should recommend libvirt (with KVM) instead.

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2017-03-16 20:49:43)

hhh · 2017-03-16 21:00:57

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

I take it that the host is jessie?

Affirmative, I don't think @johnraff has installed stretch on bare metal yet.

nobody · 2017-03-16 21:08:11

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

^ Well, that would appear to be the jessie version, which may explain the problems.
Here is a .deb of the current stetch version:
Perhaps try again with that?
EDIT: sorry, tired from $DAY_JOB... :8
I take it that the host is jessie?
~~~~
However, reading through the bug report to which I linked shows that security support for VB is atrocious (Oracle won't supply full patches for CVEs) and this is why stretch doesn't include the package.
Also, the Debian 9 installer may drop official support for installation in VirtualBox:
we should fix the installer and not support VBox there
https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugrepo … 794466#156
As such, I don't think we should support VirtualBox for BunsenLabs Helium, we should recommend libvirt (with KVM) instead.

And ship the virt-manager package (libvirt control interface), https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Machine_Manager, and set up the default BL user with the right group for using the tool out of the box.

I've been using virt-manager a lot lately; it's a bit clunky but comprehensive.

johnraff · 2017-03-17 03:01:05

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

I take it that the host is jessie?

Yes.

I don't think we should support VirtualBox for BunsenLabs Helium, we should recommend libvirt (with KVM) instead.

In what way are we supporting it now? By answering forum queries?

I have a whole bunch of VB VMs set up and wouldn't look forward to having to migrate everything to some new platform...
Personally, I'll wait and see if VB provide stretch packages, and if they work. EDIT: There are Stretch packages available for the host, but reading those Debian bug reports, it looks as if there are some serious problems with Stretch as the guest at the moment, so it's more a question of whether Oracle will fix those.

(Security in the guest is not a major concern to me as they're only testbeds - unless something could get back to the host. Is that possible?)

Still, eager to try libvirt if it's better. Would one of you experts care to write a tutorial some day? Is there a nice point-and-click interface?

Last edited by johnraff (2017-03-17 03:32:30)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2017-03-17 07:27:02

johnraff wrote:

In what way are we supporting it now?

I was responding to the suggestion the gnome-mpv not be used in Helium because of potential issues with VirtualBox; "not supporting" VB in that case would mean still using gnome-mpv even if it doesn't work well under VirtualBox, providing that it works under QEMU/KVM.

Would one of you experts care to write a tutorial some day?

Here is a rough guide I prepared earlier, I could improve on it if needed:

https://forums.bunsenlabs.org/viewtopic.php?id=1546

Is there a nice point-and-click interface?

https://packages.debian.org/stretch/virt-manager

EDIT: see also https://packages.debian.org/stretch/aqemu — it's Qt based but then so is VB

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2017-03-17 07:38:57)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2017-03-17 07:53:52

johnraff wrote:

Security in the guest is not a major concern to me as they're only testbeds - unless something could get back to the host. Is that possible?

Yes.

johnraff · 2017-03-17 08:54:23

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

"not supporting" VB in that case would mean still using gnome-mpv even if it doesn't work well under VirtualBox

Ah, you're advocating not caring whether an application works in VB or not. Fair enough.

Would one of you experts care to write a tutorial some day?
Here is a rough guide I prepared earlier, I could improve on it if needed:
https://forums.bunsenlabs.org/viewtopic.php?id=1546

Sorry, this put me off:

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

...is way more l33t 8)

and I didn't read on.

I'll go back and try again.

Is there a nice point-and-click interface?
https://packages.debian.org/stretch/virt-manager
EDIT: see also https://packages.debian.org/stretch/aqemu — it's Qt based but then so is VB

Thank you. I use VMs all the time, for very simple purposes - load an iso into memory, start up, check if it works in live mode, check an install, make sure everything works... shut down. I have one Stretch VM set up just so I can build isos with a more recent version of live-build, and this is working very smoothly, sending files to and fro via a shared folder.

I was not looking forward to having to learn a whole collection of commands and options to run in terminals in order to do what previously took a click or two. I guess I sound like a Windows/Mac user. I have no problems with the CLI, as I'm sure you know, but don't enjoy what might seem like unnecessary work...

Head_on_a_Stick · 2017-03-17 19:55:46

johnraff wrote:

Sorry, this put me off:
Head_on_a_Stick wrote:
...is way more l33t 8)
and I didn't read on.

Oh dear, I really should restrict my lame attempts at humour to the off-topic sections...

Thanks for the feedback, I will replace the glib comment with some actual reasons to prefer KVM over VB.

johnraff · 2017-03-21 08:21:07

^well I was half-joking too, and do plan to look at something more ... solid than VB one of these days. When I have the time.

#1 2017-03-16 07:50:23

[HELIUM] Replace virtualbox with libvirt + virt-manager

#2 2017-03-16 08:18:52

Re: [HELIUM] Replace virtualbox with libvirt + virt-manager

#3 2017-03-16 19:46:47

Re: [HELIUM] Replace virtualbox with libvirt + virt-manager

#4 2017-03-16 21:00:57

Re: [HELIUM] Replace virtualbox with libvirt + virt-manager

#5 2017-03-16 21:08:11

Re: [HELIUM] Replace virtualbox with libvirt + virt-manager

#6 2017-03-17 03:01:05

Re: [HELIUM] Replace virtualbox with libvirt + virt-manager

#7 2017-03-17 07:27:02

Re: [HELIUM] Replace virtualbox with libvirt + virt-manager

#8 2017-03-17 07:53:52

Re: [HELIUM] Replace virtualbox with libvirt + virt-manager

#9 2017-03-17 08:54:23

Re: [HELIUM] Replace virtualbox with libvirt + virt-manager

#10 2017-03-17 19:55:46

Re: [HELIUM] Replace virtualbox with libvirt + virt-manager

#11 2017-03-21 08:21:07

Re: [HELIUM] Replace virtualbox with libvirt + virt-manager

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